To Own Forever
by Gaurdian Rowen
Summary: Several years after the defeat of the Sorceress, Squall still in charge of the Garden has allowed Seifer to return and try out for SeeD again, things seem back to normal. However, some things never give up, and what they once had they keep forever. A sto


**Disclaiming:  Not my characters.  I wish I had made FF8 but I'm not that good.  All the credit goes to Squaresoft and the Japanese people who made the game.   I just like making their characters do something more besides win the game.  Well, have fun.  May be shonen ai or yaoi in later chapters but this one's safe!  Also Rinoa bashing in later chapters.  Sorry, never liked her.   All well.  Enjoy!  ******

**To******Own** Forever**

Chapter One: **That Which is Mine **

Seifer tossed and turned in his bed.  A voice spoke to him.  It was alluring, magical, and it commanded.  Seifer bolted up in a sweat, breathing heavily.  What was he dreaming about?  All he could remember was the voices sound nothing else.  He had heard this voice, before but where?  His mind kept drawing a blank.  What was it…  Seifer lay back down and tried to go back to sleep.  His nerves were running on edge.  He felt as if he should be fighting something but had no idea of what it was.  His mind finally returned to the reaches of sleep.

The Garden…Garden…I want you to….my knight… 

_***********************                         *************************_

"Wake up, this is important!" said Quistis nudging Seifer in the shoulder.

"…"  Seifer started to for the third time during the meeting.  He glared, "Leave me alone.  I was listening."

"Yeah, to the Z's." snickered Zell.  Seifer glared.

"Stop it, you two." commanded Xu standing to Squall's right.  

"This whole idea is stupid." muttered Squall.

"Yeah, can't you SeeDs take care of this by yourselves?" sneered Seifer.

"We need all the able fighters we can spare.  The other SeeDs are on another mission." reprimanded Xu frowning, "Now listen to the Commander, Almasy.  Please resume, Commander."

"Whatever…  The short of it is, there has been rumor of a wild unidentified GF running rampant on the Island Closest to Hell.  There had also been rumor of it having been seen near Winhill, a few people have supposedly been killed by it." said Squall.

"So what's this "scary" GF look like?" sarcastically asked Seifer.  Squall rolled his eyes.

"The reports are fuzzy at best.  Ugly, they say.  Hideous and frightening.  No other details." said Irvine, shrugging.

"Our mission is to capture or destroy this GF." said Squall putting his hands down on the table, "Any questions?"

"Yeah, can we used the Chicken-wuss as bait?" sneered Seifer.  Zell glared.

"Since there are no questions." said Squall sternly in Seifer's direction.  He paused for a moment more," We'll meet at the Ragnarok in three hours.  Nida, prep the Ragnarok."

"Yes, Commander." said Nida.

"DISSMISSED!" shouted Xu.

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Seifer stared out the windows of the Ragnarok as they flew across the ocean toward the Island Closest to Hell.  This whole trip was stupid.  It was probably some stupid monster posing as a "scary GF" and eating people.  Big deal.  Stupid!  Why did he have to go?  Stupid Garden.  Stupid SeeDs!  Stupid Squall!!  He glowered in Squall's direction and just stared at him.  He wasn't able to maintain his glare for too long.  He never could when it came to Squall.  Sighing loudly to make his complaint known Seifer looked back out his window and resumed his glower.  Somewhere in the back of his mind, Seifer kept thinking that there was something he should be doing…

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"All right, everyone.  Listen to Squall!" shouted Selphie as they got out of the Ragnarok and lined up, all that is except for Seifer who leaned against the Ragnarok boredly.

"We will all go in teams.  This island is dangerous, as everyone knows, and since the island has become more vegetated since the Sorceresses death, there may be new dangers.  There is to be no one going off by their selves, understand?" said Squall, he glared pointedly at Seifer, "There will be two groups of two and one group of three."

"Oh, whoopee…" muttered Seifer.

Squall stared around him trying to decide the teams.  Irvine and Selphie?  No, that couple would spend the whole time ogling at each other instead of searching.  Zell and Selphie?  Too much energy and immaturity together.  Seifer and Selphie?  No, Seifer would kill her on principle.  Must be Quistis with Selphie because putting her with Seifer would be a bad idea.  For Seifer…not with him!  Squall would kill him outright for that attitude.  Seifer was being a major asshole today.  Irvine and Seifer wouldn't work that well either, has to be Nida.  Nida was patient maybe he could survive.  Zell and Irvine?  Oh, please, not by themselves.  They get into too much trouble.  He'd have to go with them to keep them out of trouble.  Or else they'll meet the business end of his gunblade. 

"Quistis, you and Selphie are a team." said Squall, "Equip your GFs and check your gear."

"Oh!  I wanna take Shiva!" said Selphie jumping up and down.

"Quetzacotl will come with me." said Quistis.

"Take plenty of status fixing items." smiled Nida handing them their equipment.

Squall turned back to the others, "Irvine, Zell, you're with me.  Nida, Seifer, you're together."

"WHAT?  I have to have him follow me?" complained Seifer.  He turned his glare to Nida, "Just stay out of my way SeeD boy!"  He stalked off after claiming Bahamut.

"Just watch his back." said Squall to Nida who looked a bit intimidated.

"All right, Commander." said Nida unsure as he took Alexander.  He turned and raced after Seifer who was fast walking.

Zell grabbed Diablos, "All right!  Let's kick some monster ass!"

"Let's get going shall we.  The sooner we get this done the sooner we can catch back up with the ladies." said Irvine picking up Leviathan.

Squall took Eden.  He wondered if this whole plan was shot to hell already.  He looked back to the Ragnarok to see Xu waving at him in support.  She was to stay and guard the ship.

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Quistis led.  Selphie followed looking around at the trees like a curious kitten.  Before the I.C.H. was a flat plains area.  It was amazing how everything just seemed to magically appear when Ultimecia was defeated.  There was a slight skip in her step as they walked on.  After ten minuets and still no sign of monsters, Selphie let her guard down.  She stopped to look at a peculiar flower.  Quistis turned about swiftly.

"Miss Tillmit, remember that we are on a mission, not a hiking trip.  This is the Island Closest to Hell.  Don't let your guard down!  Are you or are you not a SeeD and not a trainee." scolded Quistis.

"But Quistis!" said Selphie pouting, "There haven't been any monsters yet.  Last time we were here we were slammed with monsters every five seconds.  This is sooo boring!"

"Well, this time is different.  Remember this GF is eating monsters.  They are probably hiding." said Quistis.

"So we're looking for something hideously ugly that likes to kill stuff…" said Selphie, "OH!  I know, that must be Seifer!" she said smiling.

"I'll be sure to tell him you said that." giggled Quistis, "I wouldn't try summoning him if I were you."

"No, don't tell him that!!  He's mean!  He'll probably try to trip me in the halls or something!!" cried Selphie.

"Just kidding." smiled Quistis.

"Oh, I got another one.  Zell is the GF of hotdogs!  Promise him a hotdog and he'll kill everything in his way." laughed Selphie.

"Then Squall is the GF of "whatever".  One "whatever" from him and that icy stare will freeze enemies solid in their paths." grinned Quistis.

"Irvine is the GF of love!  It doesn't matter what it is, if it walks he'll try to charm it." laughed Selphie.

That set Quistis into another set of giggles.  Suddenly she heard a noise to their right. She held up her hand immediately shushing Selphie and uncoiled her whip.  Beside her, Selphie loosened her nanchuku.  A malburo stepped out onto the path and seeing them immediately attacked.    Quistis jumped out of the way and lashed out with her whip tripping it up.  Selphie raced forward taking that chance to attack with both of her nanchuku flailing.

"Move back!  I'm summoning Quezacotl!" shouted Quistis.

As Selphie moved out of the way, she started to summon Quezacotl when from out of nowhere came a completely different beast.  A huge hairy lion-headed chimera monster leaped out of the bushes so quickly that it made absolutely no sound and alighted upon the malburo feasting.

"That's it!" exclaimed Selphie.

"Hush!  Don't draw its attention!" hissed Quistis then taking a better look at the monster, "Isn't that---!"

Finishing the malburo the GF jumped back into the bushes.

"Follow it!" shouted Quistis and both girls raced after the speeding monster.

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Nida sighed for the seventh time that minute as he passed yet another blue dragon corpse on his way to catch up with Seifer.  He could almost swear that the man was trying to get him stranded out here as monster food.  Squall was wrong; Seifer didn't need anyone to watch his back.  He was a one-man monster slayer!  Nida sprinted faster trying to keep the tail of Seifer's trench coat in sight.  This day was going to be hell!

Seifer bolted down the barely trodden path with his gunblade singing as it slashed brutally into the throats of blue dragons.  He glance behind him every now and again only to see that SeeD still following him.  As he turned a sharp corner of trees, Seifer took his opening and jumped off the path and started making his own.  Any luck and he would have just lost that SeeD.  That would teach Squall to send a nobody to trail after him as if he needed a babysitter.  Getting a few feet from the main path so that it wouldn't be too obvious where he went, Seifer began to cut himself a new path when he heard the voice again.

My knight…. come to me…I am in need of your service once more…come to me…come back…I need you to…

Suddenly Seifer's will left him and mesmerized he began to cut his way toward the voice.  It led him to a clearing where he saw a transparent figure of Ultimecia sitting upon a rock staring down at a pool of water.  She looked up and smiled at him.

 _My knight, I have waited… the Garden…I need you to take me to…_

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Nida almost cursed as he turned the corner to see no sign of Seifer anywhere.  _Where did that lunatic go?  Ok, no dead stuff in the path, so it was obvious that he must have changed course but where?_  Carefully, he scanned the bushes and thick trees around him for some sign.  Hearing the slight echo of a voice to his right, he saw a freshly cut path in the foliage.  He moved to the new trail.  _That guy!  He's on my last nerve!_  As he got closer, Nida realized that it was not one but two voices he was hearing.  Stopping just out of sight, he watched Seifer talking to some kind of transparent woman.  He strained to hear.  Rinoa's name was the only thing he understood.  Why would they be talking about her?  Suddenly the transparent woman disappeared.  He watched Seifer turn suddenly in his direction and draw his gunblade.  Seifer held out his hand and a blast of Firaga shot his way.  Nida dodged and ran back the way he came.  Seifer was pissed off!  Whoever he had seen Seifer talking to, it was obvious that he shouldn't have seen her.

Seifer raced after the SeeD.  He couldn't let him tell Squall that Ultimecia was alive yet.  It was her will to remain unnoticed until she possessed Rinoa's body.  Then she would be unstoppable.  Catching up, Seifer swung his gunblade widely causing Nida to duck and trip to the ground.  Nida rolled onto his back brandishing his saber in time to catch Seifer's gunblade, though he had to catch hold of the blade end of his saber with his free hand to keep the weight of the gunblade and the force behind it from shoving his own saber down onto him.  The blade sliced into his hand.  Seifer pushed down harder and smiled as he saw the gunblade slicing through the thin saber metal.  He backed up catching himself from falling backwards as Nida kicked the inside of his knee in an attempt to knock him down.  Nida got to his feet immediately.

"What are you doing Seifer!  I haven't done anything to you!" demanded Nida holding his saber ready.

"Shut up, you little spy!" hissed Seifer rushing forward for the attack.

Through Seifer's superior strength and skill, Nida was continuously driven backwards.  It was taking all he had to keep Seifer from badly injuring him.  There was no way for him to win, nor for him to escape because Seifer was faster than he was.  Blood painted the ground from Nida's amassing cuts.  Bent on ultimately obtaining victory, Seifer left himself open for just a moment and that was all that Nida needed.  He lunged forward and gave Seifer a deep gash along his right shoulder.  Angered, Seifer swung his gunblade up hard catching the saber in the nock that he had driven into it and cut the blade in half.  Raising his gunblade high, he brought it down with all of his force knocking Nida who parried with his hilt to the ground again.  Nida kicked Seifer in the shins with both feet and shoved the gunblade toward the wounded shoulder with all of his strength flinging the gunblade from Seifer's grip.  Just as he reached that momentary victory, a strong hand reached down, grabbed him by the throat, and picked him up from the ground.  Nida choked grabbing the hand with both of his trying to pull loose to no avail.  

"That was a good shot, little SeeD.  Too bad playtime is over." smirked Seifer drawing back his fist.

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"Sooo,….why is it that we have only met up with one Hexadragon and two Grendels.  I thought that there'd be more monster ass to kick.  This is I.C.H.  And it's been forty-five minutes!" whined Zell.

Squall put a hand to his head to help cease the beginnings of a headache.  Why me…

"Hey, let's play a game." said Zell happily bouncing about.

"Sure, I'm always up for a good game." grinned Irvine who had been getting a little bored himself.

"The GF game! I'll start…" said Zell, "Selphie is the GF of Sugar Rush.  One summon and she'll talk all the monsters to death."

"I've played this before." smiled Irvine, "Quistis is the GF of groupies.  Summon her and a whole herd of Trepe groupies will mow down the opposition."

Oh, Rinoa is the GF of Bitchiness." laughed Zell, "Her attack is called the "Squall Call".  Loud enough to blow out the eardrums of all of your enemies.  Side effect however, is that your eardrums explode too."

"Well then, Xu is the GF of Command." said Irvine, "She'll whip those monsters into shape."

Squall shook his head.  A pair of morons…

Squall stopped walking.  The air around him seemed to have shifted noticeably.  A small glint of light shone upon his necklace briefly.  Then IT landed in the path before them in one great bound.  It roared loudly brandishing its elongated razor sharp teeth.  Its hair bristled in rage.

"Holy mother of----" started Irvine his voice fading out.  He drew his gun immediately.

"It can't be!" shouted Zell.

"Griever." said Squall brandishing his gunblade and rushed into an attack.

"After you." said Irvine to Zell who rushed in after Squall fists flying.

Griever dodged all of their attacks easily, it seemed to be judging them and observing their abilities.  Squall was doing much of the same thing of Griever.  He had never expected that they would be hunting the most powerful GF.  Shouldn't it have died with Ultimecia?  As if tired of waiting, Griever turned to the attack and lashed out violently at Zell knocking him to the ground with one fierce swipe of its paw.  Zell didn't get back up.  Squall moved forward and delivered a cross slash to Griever's shoulder before it turned on him.  He dodged quickly as Griever leaped at him.  Irvine took aim and shot into the middle of the cut that Griever had received.  In response, Griever turned on him and spat out a blast of energy that struck Irvine in the chest knocking him out.  Taking the distracted GF off guard, Squall jumped upon it's back and stabbed his gunblade deep into its shoulder.  Griever bucked him off and trapped Squall beneath it's massive paw.  It leaned forward growling.

'LEONHART…YOU ARE WORTHY…'

Griever disappeared into a wave of smoke.  Squall watched his gunblade plunge into the ground from the air where griever's shoulder used to be.  The smoke drew around the sword and disappeared into it.  He rubbed his head for a moment.  That was just plain weird.

"Squall!" shouted Quistis rushing out of the jungle of foliage, "The GF it's---"

"Griever, I know." said Squall.  He picked up his gunblade and examined it carefully.  The GF was in there somewhere.

"Then you've seen it?" asked Selphie out of breath as she too showed up.

"Mission accomplished." said Squall.

"Wha-…huh?…  Where's it go? " asked Zell sitting up holding his head.

"Just missed it apparently." said Quistis putting a hand on her hips.

Selphie knelt by Irvine and used Curaga.  He blinked as he opened his eyes, "I've been saved by an angel…"  Selphie giggled.  Squall rolled his eyes.

"Everyone, back to the Ragnarok." commanded Squall.

Zell and Selphie forced Squall to tell them about how he had defeated Griever, three times before they got back to the Ragnarok.

"Wow, still the hero we know and love." smiled Selphie.

"Quiet!" said Squall noticing that something was wrong at the Ragnarok.  He sprinted toward Xu who was taking Nida into the ship with Seifer's help.

"What's going on?" demanded Squall.

"Seifer just got here a few minuets ago he said—" started Xu frantically.

"He got attacked by a Ruby Dragon." said Seifer.

Squall frowned, there was menace in Seifer's eyes, "I'll talk to you later."

Squall took Seifer's place and helped Xu take Nida into the ship and to the emergency bay.  They set him down on one of the beds.  Squall frowned again and went to retrieve some bandages.

"It looks bad.  He's lost a lot of blood." said Xu worriedly as she started to clean the wounds after having stripped the unconscious man of his shirt.

Squall took note of the wounds as he helped Xu bandage them.  There was only so much that magic could do.  The cuts were clean and straight as if made by metal.  The claws of a Ruby Dragon would have left long ragged tears.  He frowned.  What happened out there?  Not to mention the dark bruises on his face, too small for a dragon's tail attack.  What could this mean?  Did Seifer do this?  But why?  After making sure Nida was taking care of and getting Selphie to prep the Ragnarok for lift off, Squall took Seifer into on of the room on the lower level.

"What happened out there, Seifer?" demanded Squall.

"I already told you." said Seifer leaning against one of the walls, "That little nobody SeeD was attacked by a Ruby Dragon."

"Where were you then?  We were supposed to be in teams, remember!" said Squall angrily.  He frowned deeply.

"I can't help it if the poor little SeeD couldn't keep up." said Seifer shrugging.

"I don't like your tone!" snapped Squall angrily, "He almost died!  Are you even telling me the truth.  His wounds—"

"Are you calling me a liar?" asked Seifer raising a brow daring him to.

"No, I just want the truth." said Squall, "If I find out that you --  that something else happened out there Seifer—"

"I know, I know.  Big trouble, right?" smirked Seifer, "Give me a break."

"Where's that wound from?" asked Squall noticing Seifer's bloodstained shoulder.

"Beat of the dragon myself.  Saved that little nobody's ass for you." growled Seifer.

"Let me see it." demanded Squall.  If that looked like a saber wound so help him!

"Already bandaged it." hissed Seifer, "Sorry no can show.  Is that all, cause frankly this is boring."

Squall was furious but he reeled in his anger trying to judge Seifer.  Something wasn't right, "Whatever!"  He stormed out.  Seifer smirked as he watched Squall leave.

"Keep poking around and you'll end up the same way." he whispered into thin air after Squall.

The trip back to the Garden was far too short.  Squall sighed rubbing his temples as he began to fill out a report for Cid.  He still wasn't sure about what went on with the whole Griever and Seifer incidents.  What was he hiding?  Squall frowned.  Sometimes it sucked to be in charge.  He sent Xu and Zell to take Nida to the infirmary while he went to see Cid.

***************************                         ********************************

"So, you believe that Seifer is not telling the whole truth?" asked Cid leaning his chin on his hands as he looked over Squall's report.

"Yes.  Nida's wounds were exact and deliberate.  I don't believe that those are the work of a Ruby Dragon." said Squall.

"But you have no proof that it was anything other than what he said." said Cid, "A young Ruby Dragon has been known to slice straight cuts through flesh."

"But…I know Seifer is lying." said Squall.

"It's not that I don't trust your judgment Squall but you have no real proof that anything out of the ordinary happened out there.  Seifer has been trying very hard to work off his ruined reputation since the death of Ultimecia." said Cid sitting back, "Without any proof we can't do anything to him, you know.  The only other person who knows what happened is in the infirmary unconscious.  You have no choice but to wait until he recovers for anything more."

"I'm sorry, sir." said Squall standing up, "I won't trouble you further until I have proof."

"No harm.  Just do your best to remember that Seifer was sincere about changing.  Don't jump to conclusions without knowing." smiled Cid.  He waved as Squall stepped out of his office.

Squall's frown returned as he approached the lift to the bridge.  He remembered that Seifer had indeed been sincere about changing.  It was his decision to allow Seifer to join Balamb once again.  However, today, …something seemed so different about Seifer it was as if he was someone else entirely.  It reminded him of when Seifer was Ultimecia's knight.  Something dark.  He was sure that Seifer had lied about the whole thing but why?  What did he have to hide and why would he hurt Nida?  Entering the bridge, Squall looked to see Quistis and Xu stand to attention.  He waved at them and they stood down.

"We're going to be here for a while.  Xu, you're in command.  I'm going to sleep and I do not want to be disturbed." said Squall putting a hand to his head.  He didn't feel very well since Griever had fought with him.  Squall left the bridge and stalked to his room to think.

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Irvine leaned back in his chair in the cafeteria telling the heroic death-defying story of the battle he fought with Griever to the girls that had him surrounded.  Most of the girls looked jealously at Selphie who was sitting at Irvine's right.  He had his arm around her.  Rinoa was sitting on his left listening intently for details about Squall.  The story seemed to have grown into an epic battle with malburos swarming into the fight only to be taken out by Irvine's swift trigger finger.  Rinoa looked up once to see Seifer sitting on the far side of the cafeteria watching her.  She waved but he didn't acknowledge her.  She tuned back into Irvine who was at the end of his story.

"Then, " he said gesturing wildly, "The most beautiful creature in the world saved my life.  If it wasn't for her I might not have come back alive."  Selphie giggled and hugged Irvine's arm.  The other girls could only sigh in jealousy.

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The library girl walked over to where Zell sat with a pile of books beside him.  He was flipping through them then putting them back on the shelf.  He looked upset.  She knelt beside him and gave him the biggest smile she could.

"Are you looking for something in particular?" she asked.

"Oh! Um…yeah.   I was looking for something cool for Nida to read when he wakes up." said Zell grinning at the library girl.  She, however, saw that he was missing his usual fire.

"Is he going to be ok?" she asked.

"Doc, said that he'd be better in no time.  She expects him to wake up tomorrow.  He got hit in the head pretty hard." said Zell sighing as he picked up another book.

"You're worried aren't you." she said.

"Yeah, I mean…Nida's my best friend.  He might be shrimpy-looking but we practice training together all the time.  He's good, like Squall's skill kind of good.  There's no way some stupid Ruby Dragon snuck up on him!" said Zell, "And where was Seifer!  They were supposed to be a team!  It's all Seifer's fault!!"  He clenched a fist.

"Zell, calm down." said the library girl smiling gently, "Nida's all right.  Just because he's your friend doesn't make him invincible.  Everyone has accidents, but what counts is that he's ok."

"Yeah." sighed Zell.

"Get this book." she smiled taking one down from a shelf, "I always read this one whenever I'm sick.  It's a funny book."

"Cool." said Zell taking the book.  He blushed a little, "Um…thanks a lot.  I-I mean…for the talk." She smiled again, "Er, uh…well I-I gotta go now.  Bye!"

She shook her head as he ran out of the library.  He hadn't properly checked out the book.  Smiling she walked over to the computer and manually typed the book for checkout.

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Seifer returned to his room.  He had to make sure everything was planned and ready by tomorrow morning.  That's when that SeeD would wake up and the Garden would be in an uproar.  He laughed to himself.  Ultimecia had most of the plan ready.  It was just up to him to make sure that it was pulled off successfully.  For a brief moment, he wondered what Squall was thinking.  After all, he was going to be part of the plan…

*GASP*  EVIL SEIFER HAS A PLAN!   NYAHAHAH   What will happen?  Tune in next time for Evil Seifer in "Who Ate My Onion!!" 8:30 /7:00 central on NyAHAAAAA TV

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